Northern law center

Mission

Our mission is to provide full-spectrum, proactive, professional, ethical and accurate legal support to the joint military and interagency communities supportingUnited States interests in NATO.

Contact Information

Phone Numbers

Client Services: DSN 423-4868
Administrative Law: DSN 423-3858
Fax: DSN 423-3862
Military Justice: DSN 423-4970 Claims: DSN 423-4195
To call commercial within Belgium, dial 065-44-XXXX. Outside Belgium, dial 032-65-44-XXXX.

Hours of Operation

Monday to Wednesday and Friday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. (closed 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. for lunch). Thursday 1:30 to 5 p.m.

Location

2nd Floor, Building 318, SHAPE

USAG Brussels: Our Client Services division provides legal assistance and claims assistance every Tuesday in Building 4, Room 316 (same hallway as ACS). Please call our SHAPE number above to set up an appointment.

Mailing Address

HQ, 21st Theater Support Command
Northern Law Center
Unit #21420
AP AE 09705

Northern Law Center
Rue Lemnitzer
Building 318
7010 SHAPE

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Legal Assistance

Welcome to the Northern Law Center’s Client Services Division

Disclaimer: The information contained in this site is meant to inform military members on personal legal affairs and preventative law.  Use this site as part of your personal legal preparedness.  The information here is not legal advice.  Please contact our office to see an attorney for legal advice based on your specific matters.

Walk-in Services

The following services may be provided on a walk-in basis:

• Notarizations - A notary acts as an official, unbiased witness to the identity and signature of individuals who appear before the notary for some specific purpose, such as taking an oath or affirmation, or signing a legal document (see AR 27-55).  Such authority does not include certification of language translation. For notary services, bring the unsigned document and an official form of photo identification (e.g. military ID or passport).
  
  
• Certified Copies - our office will provide certified copies of original documents ONLY where the copies are going to a specific federal government or military administrative purpose (e.g. Social Security Application, Finance, US State Department forms).
  
  
• Powers of Attorney (POA) – to include both general and special POAs, Health Care POAs, and completion of IRS POAs (see IRS Form 2848).
  
  
• Translations - when required by the military for personnel administration or official use, to include birth certificates, wills (when connected with a death), marriage certificates, extracts of divorce decrees, death certificates, adoption decrees, change of name decrees, and apostilles.
  
  
• Claims
  
  
• Attorney Referrals

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Appointment Services

Legal assistance will include, but is not necessarily limited to, the following services.  Please call 423-4868 to set up an appointment to speak to an attorney about any of the listed issues.

• Family Law - marriage, annulment, legal separation, divorce, financial nonsupport, child custody and visitation, and paternity cases. 
  
  
• Estates - wills, testamentary trusts for the benefit of minors, guardianships, and the designation of beneficiaries under life insurance policies (including the Servicemembers’ Group Life Insurance (SGLI).  Legal assistance will also be provided on preparing Advance Medical Directives (AMDs) and anatomical gift designations. 
  
  
• Real Property - for lease issues and disputes involving a client's principal residence, including the termination of pre-service leases under the Servicemembers' Civil Relief Act (SCRA). 
  
  
• Personal Property - all legal matters relating to the purchase of property, including, but not limited to, contracts, chattel mortgages, security agreements, warranties, cancellations, and other consumer affairs matters. 
  
  
• Economic - for debtors on disputes over lending agreements, and for those requiring help on bankruptcy, garnishment orders, involuntary allotment applications for judgment indebtedness, debt, banking, credit card, property insurance problems, and non-government claims (including Article 139 claims).  Legal assistance will also be provided on limiting interest on pre-service obligations (including mortgages) under the SCRA.  Legal assistance will be provided to those seeking reemployment under the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act of 1994 (USERRA) and comparable State statutes subject to instructions listed in AR 27-3. 
  
  
• Civilian Administrative - includes administrative and quasi-judicial matters within the primary jurisdiction of a municipal, State, Federal, or foreign agency (for example, State-licensed driving privileges, or a stay of civilian court dates pursuant to SCRA).  Legal assistance will be provided on requests for notarizations. 
  
  
• Military Administrative - line of duty investigations, reports of survey, officer evaluation reports (OERs), noncommissioned officer evaluation reports (NCOERs), relief for cause reviews, memoranda of reprimand, Article 138, UCMJ complaints, Inspector General Investigations of military personnel, 15-6 Investigations, officer unqualified resignations by reason of pregnancy, and resignations in lieu of discharge because of failure to meet statutory or regulatory requirements, compassionate reassignments, and correction of military records.
  
  
• Torts - invoking whatever protections may be afforded under the SCRA on matters relating to the prosecution or defense of civil lawsuits based on alleged tortious conduct.
  
  
• Taxes - real and personal property tax issues, and the preparation of Federal and State income tax returns.  Please note that tax assistance for private business activities is outside the scope of the Legal Assistance Program with the exception of family child care (FCC) provider activities.
  
  
• Civilian Criminal Matters - based on the availability of expertise and resources. Clients seeking assistance on civilian criminal matters may be provided general advice on civilian criminal matters, such as explaining the nature of the criminal charge, possible punishments, and criminal procedure. 

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Legal Assistance Handouts

Hardcopies of these handouts are available at our SHAPE and Brussels office locations.

• Belgian Laws & You
  
  
• Advanced Medical Directives
  
  
• Estate Planning Worksheet (i.e. Will Worksheet)
  
  
• Power of Attorney - Application
  
  
• Marriage in Belgium
  
  
• Belgian Criminal Charges
  
  
• Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA)
  

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Claims

Mission

Our mission is to provide quality help and support to all eligible persons with claims.

What to bring for Household Goods/Unaccompanied Baggage

• DD Form 1840 Notification of loss/damage at delivery
  
  
• DD Form 1840R Notification of loss/damage after delivery
  
  
• Household Goods/Unaccompanied Baggage Inventory
  
  
• Government Bill of Laden (GBL)
  
  
• Copy of Orders

What to bring for Privately Owned Vehicles

• Vehicle Inspection and Shipping Form (VISF)
  
  
• Vehicle Registration
  
  
• Copy of Orders

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Claims Handouts

• Full Replacement Value (FRV)
  
  
• Checklist for FRV Claims
  
  
• Military Claims (POV)
  
  
• Military Claims (GOV)
  
  
• Military Claims (HHG)
  
  
• DD 1840/1840 R (Old)
  
  
• DD 1840/1840 R (New)
  
  
• Theft from Quarters
  
  
• POV Theft or Vandalism
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• Guide to DPS
  

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Tax Center

The Tax Center typically runs from February to mid-June.  Please call the Legal Assistance Office at 423-4868 for tax assistance.

Mission

Our mission is to provide quality federal and state income tax assistance to all eligible clients.

Locations (during tax season only)

SHAPE, Building 318, 2nd Floor
Brussels, Building 4, Room 316 (same hallway as ACS)

What to bring

• Proof of identification
  
  
• Social Security Cards for you, your spouse and dependents and/or a Social Security Number verification letter issued by the Social Security Administration
  
  
• Birth dates for you, your spouse and dependents on the tax return
  
  
• Current year’s tax package (if you received one)
  
  
• Wage and earning statement(s) Form W-2, W-2G, 1099-R, from all employers
  
  
• Interest and dividend statements from banks (Forms 1099)
  
  
• A copy of last year’s Federal and State returns if available
  
  
• Bank Routing Numbers and Account Numbers for Direct Deposit
  
  
• Total paid for day care provider and the day care provider's tax identifying number (the provider's Social Security Number or the provider's business Employer Identification Number)
  
  
• To file taxes electronically on a married filing joint tax return, both spouses must be present to sign the required form, or one spouse must have a power of attorney to sign for the non-present spouse.

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Links

• JAGCnet Legal Assistance Information
  
  
• JAGCnet Claims Information
  
  
• 21st TSC OSJA
  
  
• Internal Revenue Service (IRS)
  
  
• US Citizenship & Immigration Services (USCIS)
  
  
• Federal Trade Commission (FTC) – Identity Theft Information
  
  
• US Embassy, Brussels

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Interactive Customer Evaluation (ICE)

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